Speaker: Lucy Bird, Policy and Research Lead, Art Fund
What do UK museum directors actually need? This session presents findings from Art Fund’s fifth survey of museum leadership – the largest ever conducted, with museum directors responding across the full spectrum of UK museums, from small independent venues to major national institutions.
In this session, we will present the headline findings from the 2026 research, discuss what they reveal about the sector right now, and how they highlight current challenges and future priorities. The findings will inform sector-wide conversations about what museums need from funders, policymakers, and the wider cultural infrastructure.
For delegates, this will be an opportunity to benchmark their own experiences against the sector, understand how their peers are thinking, and see where the museum sector’s collective priorities lie.
Attendees will hear from Lucy Bird, Policy and Research Lead at Art Fund. This session will be the first presentation of the findings from the survey, coinciding with their publication in May.
Main image credit: Will Hartley – Art Fund 2025
Lucy Bird
